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Government
After Election 2014: STEM EDUCATION (AAAS Science Insider)
Today, a look at how states and universities aren�t waiting for Washington to improve science and math education. The debut of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in a handful of states and a growing awareness among research universities that they must improve undergraduate instruction are arguably the two biggest recent changes in the U.S. science education landscape. They also embody the political adage of thinking globally and acting locally, a timely message as the Obama administration heads into the homestretch and voters prepare to elect a new Congress. The last 2 years have provided a vivid reminder that improving U.S. science education will depend at least as much on grassroots efforts as on the federal government. The administration�s biggest gambit�a plan to restructure the $3 billion federal investment in STEM education�went down in flames after lawmakers from both parties and community leaders denounced it as unwise and poorly designed.
Obama's Visa Reform Leaves Some Skilled Spouses Behind (Bloomberg BusinessWeek)
�I didn�t know how to introduce myself,� says the 29-year-old, who holds degrees in biotechnology and business management and worked at top marketing firms before emigrating from India in 2012. �I would be like, �Yes, I am so and so,� she says, ��and I am the wife of so and so.�� Shah is one of hundreds of thousands of people who came to the U.S. because their spouse or parent was hired by an American company on an H-1B visa work authorization for immigrants with specialized skills. The husbands and wives of those with H-1B visas are allowed to live in the U.S. Unlike spouses of foreign workers with other types of visas, however, they�re not allowed to work until their spouse gets a green card. Because of a backlog in green-card processing, such people�often people with advanced skills�can be left awaiting work authorization for more than a decade. 
Diversity in STEM
Jeseekia Vaughn: Realizing I Should Study Engineering (TFA Pass The Chalk)
I am many things: a mechanical engineering undergraduate at Wayne State University; the president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated � Beta Mu chapter; vice president of the College of Engineering Student-Faculty Board; and board member and national publications chairperson for the National Society of Black Engineers. I have a vibrant life and a promising future pursuing my passion for [STEM]. However, as with many people of color, this hasn�t always been the case. I grew up with an adoration of math � I was one of those kids who truly found it fun to solve problems and learn numerical concepts
Enthusing and Developing Latinas� Interest for STEM Careers (Latina Style)
When Elle Cavazos stands in line to get on a roller coaster, she doesn�t look at it with fear or excitement like most people; she begins examining how the ride was built and what makes it go at a rapid speed. The 20-year-old from Houston, TX hopes to one day design faster roller coasters for theme parks. She plans to do that after she graduates from the mechanical engineering program at the University of Texas at Austin (UT). �In my two years at UT, there are probably a total of 20 other girls in my classes with about five of them being Latinas,� shares Cavazos.
PayPal founder: Cool 'girl nerds' could solve gender gap in STEM fields (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Silicon Valley entrepreneur Max Levchin whispered number theory proofs to his son when he was still in the womb. �He was born, and what do you know? He�s a nerd,� he said. About two years later, when Mr. Levchin�s wife was pregnant with a girl, he caught himself. �I didn't really whisper sweet math into her head, and I thought, �Why is that?�� Mr. Levchin said. �It�s a bad admission, but a good wake up call.� The soft-spoken founder of the now-ubiquitous online payment service PayPal took a rare trip away from his San Francisco base on Tuesday to visit Carnegie Mellon University in Oakland and hear project pitches from students.
Exposing Hidden Bias at Google (New York Times)
Google, like many tech companies, is a man�s world. Started by a pair of men, its executive team is overwhelmingly male, and its work force is dominated by men. Over all, seven out of 10 people who work at Google are male. Men make up 83% of Google�s engineering employees and 79 percent of its managers. In a report to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission last year, Google said that of its 36 executives and top-ranking managers, just three are women. Google�s leaders say they are unhappy about the firm�s poor gender diversity, and about the severe underrepresentation of blacks and Hispanics among its work force.
'It's cool to be a hacker' (Champaign News-Gazette)
Women, if you're dismayed with the number of females studying and working in technology and are thinking of leaving the field, don't do it, says Max Levchin, entrepreneur, investor and University of Illinois computer science graduate. In town for the Department of Computer Science's 50th anniversary, Levchin spoke of his time as a freshman and seeing lots of girls in his computer science lectures, but over those years the numbers would dwindle. He recalled talking to one of them and telling her, "It's not going to get better if you leave." During a visit to campus this week, Levchin met with students who have their own start-up dreams and delivered a keynote address on topics ranging from women in computer science to opportunities available for those studying computer science, and he provided an update on his recent business ventures.
EdTech
Free online AP courses debut on edX Web site (Washington Post)
Rice University launched a free Advanced Placement biology course Monday on a Web site overseen by two other elite schools, a potentially significant milestone for a movement that aims to bring college-level courses to high school students. The site, edX, was created by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University in 2012 as a nonprofit platform for those universities and selected others to offer massive open online courses, or MOOCs , to the world. AP Biology from Rice is the first MOOC on the site advertised as an AP course for high school students. It is divided into four content segments � the Cell; Genetics; Evolution and Diversity; and Ecology � followed by an exam in April.
Adaptive Math Learning Platform KnowRe Raises $6.8M (TechCrunch)
KnowRe, an online math learning site for secondary students, has raised a new round of $6.8 million. The funding was led by returning investor SoftBank Ventures Korea, with participation from KTB Network Partners Fund, Partners Investment, and SparkLabs Global Ventures. In a statement, KnowRe co-founder and co-CEO David Joo said the company�s Series A �allows us to scale our distribution in the U.S. on the heels of strong demand from schools and districts at our launch and further our product development and offerings for the U.S., Korea, and broader Asian markets.�
Higher Education
MSU Tougaloo agreement to promote STEM (WTVA)
Mississippi State University and Tougaloo College will work together to improve education and research opportunities in STEM fields. The MOU includes early identification of qualified Tougaloo students who can benefit from joint academic and research activities with MSU, and opportunities for qualified students to earn credit at Tougaloo College and transfer credit to selected MSU degree programs to earn a master's degree. It will also include a mutual bachelor's and master's degree programs to allow Tougaloo students to earn a master's degree at MSU in selected STEM disciplines after attaining a bachelor's degree at Tougaloo College.
Grant supports engineering study-abroad exchange with Colombia (Dekalb MidWeek)
Northern Illinois University and its partner, Universidad de La Sabana, were among eight winners of 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund grants announced at the Partners of the Americas� 50th Anniversary Convention. �The grant will help facilitate faculty-led study-abroad programs for NIU students wishing to study at La Sabana, as well as Colombian students wishing to study at NIU,� said NIU Vice President for International Affairs Ray Alden. �Studying abroad is one of the best educational experiences that a student can have to attain the global perspectives and competencies needed for competing successfully in almost any career in a global economy.�
Utah
Special assembly held to promote STEM education (Deseret News)
Former NFL and BYU linebacker Bryan Kehl spoke to hundreds of students Tuesday about the importance of having an education in science, technology, engineering and math. As part of the first STEM Utah school assembly at Olympus High School, Kehl said he wanted to raise the excitement for those disciplines because that�s where the jobs are. �They are showing them what can be theirs in the future if they do and put in the work now,� Kehl said. �Hopefully the kids will take ahold of it and get excited, and that curiosity is fostered and grown and there�s a bright future.� The STEM Utah website, www.CuriosityUnleashed.com, features videos and resources in the �Curiosity Library� in an effort to reach students, parents and teachers directly.
STEM Food & Ag
Can Affordable Satellites For Farmers Help Solve The Food Crisis? (Fast Co.Exist)
.jpg) Traditional satellites are huge, weighing about three tons, and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. But, as with so many other things, the technology is being miniaturized and made reasonably affordable--at least, affordable enough that a handful of startups, including Skybox (recently acquired by Google), Planet Labs, and now Satellogic, are launching hundreds of breadbox-sized satellites into space. And these satellites could change entire industries. Emiliano Kargieman, the founder and CEO of Satellogic, came up with the idea for his company while attending Singularity University about five years ago. His vision: increasing agricultural productivity through more frequent satellite monitoring--in other words, solving the food crisis from space.
STEM/agriculture program for school kids included fun element (Ocala Star-Banner)
The students were among 225 fourth-graders from Ward-Highlands Elementary and Belleview Elementary schools on a field trip to the Marion County UF/IFAS Extension Service auditorium. In the soil activity, one of about nine the students explored over four hours, they learned about soil profiles and various organisms that live in dirt. The two-day event was part of an inaugural program that shows how [STEM] is used in agriculture. The Exploring Agriculture through STEM program was funded through a $2,500 Florida Agriculture in the Classroom grant. The event was hosted by the University of Florida�s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Norma Samuel, a Marion County urban horticulturist, spearhead the program. |
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100 Diverse Corporate Leaders in STEM - Ann Cairns of MasterCard
 Ann Cairns is president, International Markets for MasterCard Worldwide, responsible for the management of all markets and customer-related activities in more than 210 countries and territories outside of North America. As a member of the company�s Executive Committee and based in London, England, Ms. Cairns leverages the company�s seamless global structure and presence to the benefit of all stakeholders. "Earlier this year, we launched Girls4Tech, a hands-on, inquiry-based program that connects the foundations of our business to STEM principles. Through the one-day curriculum, we hope to use our employees as role models and mentors to shows students that it takes all kinds of interests and skills to pursue a career in STEM. The curriculum is based on global science and math standards and was created in conjunction with our top engineers and technologists. We look forward to building on the momentum of this pilot to inspire young women to pursue their education and future careers."
16th Global Edition of Women in Leadership Economic Forum
 To run in Dubai from 19-20 November at the Meydan Hotel under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Economy, the 16th edition of the forum will convene thought leaders from around the world to discuss issues on women's empowerment. The event will primarily focus on diversity and inclusion strategies, women shaping the future of investments, the role of women in corporate governance, challenges faced by women in STEM, as well as the media's role in positioning women in business, politics and leadership. Edie Fraser, Chief Executive Officer of STEMconnector� and Million Women Mentors, will be moderating the panel discussion, How Women in STEM Fields Can Thrive.
2014 CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense Competition Draws More Than 2,100 Teams
 The Air Force Association announced today that CyberPatriot, the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, closed out their registration period with more than 2,150 teams hailing from all 50 states, Canada and DoD Dependent Schools in Europe and the Pacific. CyberPatriot is beginning its seventh competition season with a 40 percent increase in total registrations from last year, reaching thousands of students in the United States and beyond. Last year's team registrations totaled 1,566 with 69 of those teams competing in the middle school division. This competition season marks the fourth consecutive year for reaching participants in all 50 states.
2014 PLTW Summit Brings Together Nation�s Top STEM Education Advocates, Leaders, and Learners
 Project Lead The Way has announced the complete lineup of keynote speakers, panelists, and workshop presenters for the 2014 PLTW Summit, Nov. 2-5, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The 2014 PLTW Summit will bring together nearly 1,500 educators and leaders in the corporate, nonprofit, and government sectors who work together every day to help students develop the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. In addition to previously announced speakers Dr. William Bennett, former U.S. Secretary of Education; Jeff Charbonneau, the 2013 National Teacher of the Year; and Steve Forbes, chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media, keynote speakers for the 2014 PLTW Summit will include Dr. Cheryl Schrader, Eunice Heath, and Julian Rimoli. |
